Deadly Infections Up Close

The viruses that cause Ebola kill up to 90 percent of their victims, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. An ongoing outbreak in Sierra Leone, Liberia and Guinea is the largest ever, health officials say.

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The viruses that cause Ebola kill up to 90 percent of their victims, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. An ongoing outbreak in Sierra Leone, Liberia and Guinea is the largest ever, health officials say.</p>

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Plague is a bacterial infection caused by Yersinia pestis. An outbreak of bubonic plague known as the &ldquo;Black Death&rdquo; killed millions of people in Europe in the 1300s. Nowadays, the disease is treatable with antibiotics.&nbsp;</p>

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The virus that causes smallpox, variola, is highly contagious and sometimes deadly, which is why there are only two known stockpiles of the now-eradicated pathogen: one at CDC headquarters in Atlanta and one in Russia.</p>

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Influenza viruses can cause mild cases of the flu as well as more severe cases that lead to hospitalization and death, according to the CDC. An estimated 12,469 Americans died from the H1N1 strain, better known as swine flu.&nbsp;</p>

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The human immunodeficiency virus or HIV, while treatable with antiretroviral medication, still kills upwards of 15,000 Americans each year, according to the CDC.&nbsp;</p>

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Malaria is a deadly parasitic disease transmitted by mosquitoes. About 1,500 cases of malaria are diagnosed in the U.S. each year, according to the CDC.&nbsp;</p>

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Tuberculosis is a bacterial infection caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis. It can be deadly if left untreated, but it can be cured with antibiotics, according to the CDC.</p>

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Rotavirus is a contagious stomach virus that causes diarrhea, vomiting and abdominal pain -- often among young children. In 2008, it caused an estimated 453,000 child deaths worldwide, according to the CDC.</p>